July 6, 2008

No Takers for Science in Class XI

by ssavage

AHMEDABAD: Number of students opting for science in standard XI has dropped! More than 4,000 science seats in various schools in the city have no takers this year.

Last year, 1,200 seats remained vacant in science schools. This year, 11 new schools have come up within the city limits while another nine have come up in rural zone. Sources said that of these, science seats are vacant mostly in self-financed schools.

Even in the science stream there are more takers for Group A - chemistry, physics and maths. But, those opting for B Group - biology and other science subjects are few. Just a couple of years ago this trend was exactly the opposite.

Officials of Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB), however, are optimistic and feel that there will be more than one lakh students for A group this year. GSHEB chairman RK Pathak says, "Last year, more than 80,000 students had opted for science stream. This year, the figure shall touch one lakh."

Principal of Diwan Ballubhai School in Kankaria says: "Merit has gone down marginally this year in XI (Science) and the enthusiasm in taking up science courses too has dipped a little. Reason being that in science stream pass percentage is never too high, as compared to commerce."

If in Ahmedabad there are many vacant seats, scenario in rural zone is even more bleak. District education officer (DEO), rural, KK Rathod, says: "The 4,000 seats that are vacant are mostly in the second rung schools. All reputed schools have got a full house. It is the private, non-granted schools which have less number of students."

(c) 2008 The Times of India. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.